Mehtap Ozdemirci is the Chief Executive Officer of 123 Careers, an Australian and New Zealand recruitment company which employs over 4,000 childcare professionals. Since early 2005, Mehtap has been responsible for establishing and overseeing the recruitment and staffing operations in Australia and New Zealand, across seven sites within the two countries.

As a graduate of Law and Justice Studies from the Queensland University of Technology, Mehtap’s career has seen her in roles across the Banking and Insurance industries prior to moving into recruitment at a managerial level. Based in Brisbane, Australia, her strong focus on company and policy development across industries has provided a strong foundation for her current role with 123 Careers.

123 Careers is a young company that has evolved in amazing ways since its launch in May 2005. Our growth is largely due to our unique relationship with the global childcare provider ABC Learning Centres (ABC) – a company who has experienced rapid growth and expansion. From the very beginning we realised that knowing the company as well as we did, we could provide solutions to many of the corporate challenges it was facing.

Our recruitment-based operations started off by providing employment advertising solutions across Australia and New Zealand, in both print and on-line media. At the time, ABC was decentralised and wanted to move towards a national approach. Soon after establishing our advertising operations, we increased our portfolio to begin providing relief staffing solutions to ABC. Initially we had a “quick burst” and soon grew to over 4,000 casual relievers. Our staffing levels have remained at this level consistently, and I am pleased to report that much of our turnover is attributed to the majority of our dedicated early learning carers being offered permanent positions within ABC.

Our exclusive relationship with ABC means that many of our staff can work across multiple Early Learning Centres, which gives them the ability to find a Centre that suits them. While cultural fit is important in any organisation, there is an added incentive to achieve organisational harmony when there is a direct impact on the welfare and development of children. Not surprisingly, many of our candidates feel strongly on this
point and are prepared to travel relatively long distances or even relocate for the sake of a harmonious working environment.The overriding interest of all of our employees is to provide the highest quality care to children in a safe and positive environment.

Given our industry, we have stringent checks on the suitability of all candidates. Over the last year we have developed specific childcare-based recruitment software to facilitate the regulatory processes associated with childcare recruitment. All applications are made on-line in the first instance through our website. Candidates will move through to the first round of the selection process only after moving successfully through the on-line application. There are clearance processes as required by law which vary across regions of Australia. This requirement is incorporated into the on-line process, as a candidate’s
ability to progress further with their application is subject to their willingness to meet the clearance requirements. Having completed an online application, candidates are then short-listed based on qualifications and compatibility with current vacancy requirements. 

Of course, we also conduct traditional face-to-face interviews and professional reference checks that compliment the legal clearances required to work with children. Our system is very thorough to ensure that no candidate is placed through 123 Careers without first meeting all of our control checks.

Childcare in Australia has various degrees of qualifications, with most staff holding an Undergraduate Degree in Early Childhood Teaching or a Certificate or Diploma in Children’s Services. The pool of University level childcare staff is in high demand and there is an industry-wide shortage. ABC is proactive in its approach to addressing this shortage, having recently introduced a development program to pay for University level qualifications for approved staff. We actively promote incentives such as this through our advertising and marketing of ABC as an employer of choice. Candidates appear to respond to this opportunity for professional growth, as well as the attraction to work for an international company (with a particularly strong presence in North America) that allows for opportunities overseas. ABC also offers their employees the opportunity to take their Centre-based experience to the corporate structure of the Company.

We are in an industry that, by its very nature, is always going to be in demand. We at 123 Careers have a unique opportunity to meet the recruiting demands of ABC across its international operations, with our next challenge likely to involve the North American market.